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17-Year-Old Blind Pole Vaulter Wins Bronze at State Championship

17-Year-Old Blind Pole Vaulter Wins Bronze at State Championship
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Brown fell in love with pole vaulting before she became blind–and when that happened, she found a way to train and win.

 

Pole vaulting is a tough sport for anyone to master–and it's that much tougher when you can't see anything at all.

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Brown fell in love with the sport long before cataracts reduced her vision to a "jigsaw puzzle of light and dark shades." Even after they did, she found a way to overcome her situation so she could compete.

She told BBC News that she's able to succeed by counting the seven steps of her left foot upon her approach and listening for the faint sound of a beeper placed on the mat, which alerts her when it's time to plant the pole and push up.

Pole vaulting is a tough sport for anyone to master–and it's that much tougher when you can't see anything at all.

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Brown fell in love with the sport long before cataracts reduced her vision to a "jigsaw puzzle of light and dark shades." Even after they did, she found a way to overcome her situation so she could compete.

She told BBC News that she's able to succeed by counting the seven steps of her left foot upon her approach and listening for the faint sound of a beeper placed on the mat, which alerts her when it's time to plant the pole and push up.

After competing for two years, finishing in eighth place, then fourth, Brown cleared 3.5 meters.

The high school student proudly accepted her medal with her guide dog Vador by her side.

(WATCH the video above or READ more at BBC News)

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